Nigeria Hosts 35th ACI Africa Assembly

Nigeria is set to host the 35th Airports Council International (ACI) Africa Annual General Assembly, 76th Board and Committees Meetings, Regional Conference and Exhibition in Abuja from September 19 to 25, 2026.

The event, themed “Next-Gen Airports: Driving Performance and Resilience,” will bring together airport leaders, aviation professionals, policymakers, technology providers and other stakeholders from across Africa and beyond.

The chairman of the local organising committee and director of public affairs and consumer protection, Mr Henry Agbebire stated this on Thursday at a press briefing in Abuja.

He said delegates had already begun arriving in the nation’s capital, with the secretary general of ACI Africa, Ali Tounsi, and members of his team among the early arrivals to support final preparations for the event.

The committee chairman also highlighted the role of the managing director/chief executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Olubunmi Kuku, who is also vice president of ACI Africa, in the organisation of the gathering.

According to him, Kuku’s position reflects Nigeria’s active participation and leadership within the African airport community.

He said the conference was coming at a time when airports across the continent were confronted with rapidly changing operational demands, rising passenger expectations and the need to deploy technology while improving efficiency, sustainability and resilience.

He said the central focus of the gathering would be how African airports could be designed and operated to meet the demands of the future.

The conference, he added, would provide opportunities for participants to exchange ideas and practical experiences on airport performance, resilience, digital transformation, infrastructure development, passenger experience, sustainability, safety and security, as well as commercial development.

Speaking on Nigeria’s hosting role, the chairman said the event would provide an opportunity for the country to showcase its aviation development and share its experiences in airport operations and passenger service with international peers.

He stressed that Nigeria’s ambition went beyond hosting a successful event, noting that the country wanted the conference to produce practical ideas, sustainable partnerships and solutions capable of improving airport performance across Africa.